Every election cycle, voters get told that the current election is the most important one of their lifetimes. For the most part that is true. At the moment, past elections don’t matter as much as the present.
Nearly two decades ago, New York State had a Republican governor and even New York City had a Republican mayor. George Pataki served as governor of New York for three terms from 1995 to 2006. Rudy Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg (before Bloomberg’s defection to the Democrat Party) oversaw continuous Republican rule of New York City from 1994 to 2007, when Bloomberg announced his then-decision to not affiliate with either major party.
Now, through years of bad electoral decisions, New York has come to the point where it currently is. The State of New York has the chance to change its course this election cycle. Next month, New Yorkers have the opportunity to reject gun-grabbers at the ballot box and stem their state’s, and specifically New York City’s, record crime wave.
Here are some of the biggest candidates running in New York this year who could make the state safer and make sure that criminals are prosecuted while law-abiding citizens are not.
Michael Henry, Attorney General
Henry is looking to unseat the elected official who is arguably the biggest gun-grabber in America. Letitia James, New York’s attorney general, is an archnemesis of gun owners. During her time in office, she has used her position to pursue a deeply divisive political agenda and that may be her downfall at the ballot box next month. Henry is polling well against the incumbent. A recent poll by Trafalgar has Henry leading — in a state that then-candidate Joe Biden won 61% to 38% over President Donald Trump.
Lee Zeldin, Governor
Like Henry, his fellow statewide counterpart, Zeldin is leading the Democrat incumbent in his race in at least one recently released poll. A New York Times article from this week about the New York governor’s race being “too close for Democrats’ comfort” included the following excerpt:
For Democrats who are not accustomed to close statewide races in New York, some level of panic appears to be setting in — that Mr. Zeldin could flip Black, Latino and Asian voters worried about public safety”. Zeldin has also included a point in his platform calling for “firing the Manhattan district attorney and declaring a state of emergency to temporarily repeal the state’s cashless bail laws, and other criminal justice laws enacted by the Democrat-run Legislature.
On gun rights specifically, Zeldin has voted affirmatively for pro-firearms legislation during his time in Congress. That voting record has also earned him an “A” rating as well as an endorsement from the National Rifle Association.
Tina Forte, New York’s 14th Congressional District
If elected to replace the most well-known and arguably the most openly democratic socialist Member of Congress, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — Forte would make history. Have New Yorkers had enough of being used as political pawns by the radical left? Maybe statewide, but AOC represents part of the Bronx, a congressional district with a 2022 partisan voter index (PVI) of D+28. Some argue if there is a year for such an unlikely upset to happen, this is it. Forte currently has an “A” rating from the National Rifle Association.
According to RealClearPolitics (RCP), the following New York congressional districts held by Democrats are at least considered competitive:
- NY-25 (Rochester and suburbs) has a “Likely Dem” rating per RCP. Its PVI of D+7 gives Democrats a clear advantage even when the political climate favors the GOP. Still, the Republican nominee, former Rochester Police Chief La’Ron Singletary, is mounting a serious challenge.
- NY-20 (Albany, Schenectady, Saratoga Springs) is rated “Likely Dem.” Democrat Rep. Paul Tonko’s seat in the Empire State’s liberal capital region isn’t likely to flip. Still, Republicans are at least competitive and limiting Democrat resources from going to potential pickup opportunities.
- NY-18 (Hudson Valley, Newburgh, Poughkeepsie, Kingston): With a PVI of D+1, New York’s 18th District is a perennial battleground. The seat is open, with Democrat Pat Ryan facing state Assemblyman Colin Schmitt (R). RCP considers the race a “Toss Up” but fundraising and the district’s partisan trend from 2016-2020 favors Democrats.
- NY-17 (Southern Hudson Valley, Rockland County, Peekskill, Cold Spring): After redistricting and a bruising primary battle, incumbent Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney thought he would cruise to reelection in a seat that Joe Biden won by double-digits. Unfortunately for Maloney, who runs the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) — crime, inflation and Lee Zeldin’s strong showing in the Hudson Valley — have made the race a true “Toss Up.”
- NY-04 (Nassau County: Hempstead, Mineola): This open seat comprising the inner suburbs of New York City falls into RCP’s most competitive “Toss Up” category. The indiscriminate crime wave affecting the New York City metropolitan area may be enough for Hempstead Town Councilman Anthony D’Esposito (R) to win a district President Biden won by 15 points two years ago.
- NY-03 (Nassau County: Oyster Bay, Great Neck, Mamoroneck): Another “Toss Up” in an open seat long held by Democrats. All things being equal Democrat Robert Zimmerman should be leading Republican George Santos here. But, by all appearances, the race is too close to call.
Early in-person voting starts today in New York. Have you voted already or are you planning to show up on Election Day? Let us know and while you’re at it, share your election projections in the comments below!
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.
If so Victory indeed Hooray